On a side note, I think Gene Cafe are missing a trick on their CBR-101 roaster. They are the perfect step before this and the bullet, all they need to add is a way to control the roasting similar to the Bullet, so you can set bean profiles, control from a computer etc. If they did this it would be the ultimate small roaster (also then port it over to the CBR-1200) I'd would buy these directly if they did, carn't be a huge mod for them?

Oh don't get me started on that....when I did the 1st power control mod write up on the CBR101 many many years ago now...I wrote to them and explained how they could modify their roaster to remove all the problems, make it better and cheaper for them to manufacture.

Only 2 heating elements required to be manufactured, one heating element 100V for US/Japan and another 200V for rest of world

Roaster roasts faster, because heating element imparts more energy, but at a lower temperature

Simple computer control (they could have been doing most of what the Bullet might do 8 years ago)

I even suggested they make a 500g Gene

However it's even more difficult to get the South Koreans to listen...this is because they are very very clever engineers, but sometimes they forget other people have good ideas to. I have come across the same thing with the El Roccio Harre espresso machine.

I have also sent them photos of my Modified CBR1200 roaster, with it's power control knob on the front panel and again explained how it roasts at least 20% faster for lower max temperatures and still they don't listen....just care about sales numbers.

With this current Amazon custom roaster, it was really hard to get the Chinese to listen, they initially play dumb that they don't understand. However once they realised BB were (a) serious about having it made right (custom) and (b), I might know a little bit about roasting. and roasters...they started to co-operate properly. Suddenly things because easy, their English improved and my circuit diagrams and drawings were easily understood. I think they realised all we wanted to do was take this little entry level roaster and make it the very best it can be...we don't care if it steals sales from their much more expensive "luxury" models of 1kg roaster.

Anyone want to buy a CBR1200 !

Ah don't be like that, the CBR1200 also has it's place. It's more automated, easier to use in a shop environment and with a power control mod and very nice little roaster. For sure I didn't know anything about this little drum roaster at the time, but such is life. I'm hoping the next projects will be looking at larger roasters in the 2-3kg range and the 5-6kg range, unfortunately beyond 2kg it's generally wise to get gas, although you do sacrifice a lot of control for that. Plus it's a lot more difficult with the installation.

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it would be the cheeky offer to end ALL cheeky offers .. unless you are giving it away (i.e. 101 secondhand prices) I would suggest you deliver it to me in person and when you leave take my car as payment

I had not planned to, because I won't get the modified roaster until Mid feb or even a bit later and I instantly have lots of work to do to finalise the proper user/roasting guide (because it's going to be different to what I have here), plus cover off maintenance, spares etc.., fair bit of work to do. I would imagine Steve (their Head Roaster) would also be quite keen to do those at BB. I am sure he will want to check out my instructions and roasting guidance and probably add some of his own.

As always, anyone is always welcome to come to my place and see it, when I get the modified one. If more than one person wants to come, I'm happy to organise a day.

There are 6 roasters coming over in the first batch, mine the BB demo one and 4 others. At the moment I believe one of the 4 available to purchase at the preorder launch price is already spoken for....which now leaves 3. There will be more coming, assuming it all works out well, but of course they take time to build and ship...although I understand there are likely to be 2 pricings after launch. Pre Order price, if they are still on the water, or being built and a higher price if they have landed and are in stock.

I love the CBR1200, but like you i am really anal over the chaff, you get less on the 1200 than the 101 but it does annoy me.

Trying to work out how to afford this new one whilst keeping the 1200, new kidney anyone?

Well I dislike chaff for good reason, it's been there for most of the roasting process and I believe absorbs stuff you don't want. So it's right to be anal about chaff. I thought the CBR1200 would be chaff free, but it isn't, the Toper 1kg certainly wasn't, loads of chaff on that. I "think" the reason this roaster has so little chaff, is the perforated drum and very very good mixing, both mechanical abrasions seem to remove the chaff well and it can easily exist the drum. One huge advantage of the Amazon roaster is that the heating elements are not at the bottom so the chaff can collect there and smoulder away slowly, whilst the bottom airflow draw keeps all that smoke away from the coffee. It's better than many large roasters for chaff clearance and as good as the best I have come across.

I'm keeping the CBR1200, because I sort of collect stuff, 3 dual boiler espresso machines, 2 roasters with a 3rd to come. I like to have a spare 1kg roaster, but I think it's an extravagance. I think you will have to sell the CBR1200 if you want one of these, as 2 roasters is just greedy and you cant roast on both at once unless you got 24 or 25 amps supply.

P.S. You should power control mod your CBR 1200 though, works even better.

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Firstly thanks for all the work you have done with this roaster!! And the other indepth reviews you have done. They have been really useful to me.

I'm really excited about this roaster.

But I am not sure whether to go for a pre-order or wait until any problems are ironed out and go for a later batch.

I guess its difficult to say but do you envisage any more changes to the roaster now?

Thanks,

No I don't think so, not anything that will make any major difference, it's as good as it can be and still stay reasonable without a complete re-engineer. Remember, it already roasts really really well and that's no exaggeration! So it's not exactly going to be made worse.

There is perhaps one change I would like to see, but I don't think the Chinese will ever do it, if they do, they always want too much for doing something and hence the retail price of the roaster goes up too much. It's something an owner can do anyway for the price of a fish and chip dinner at the local chip shop, and probably in as much time as it takes you to walk there and back. That is power control....simple SCR power controller in line with the heating element. Allows you to keep airflow the same and roast by power, rather than changing airflow or allowing the controllers to switch the heater on and off.

Bella Barista can't legally do the mod because of CE, but an owner can. As soon as I get mine, complete the user guide and final review, I will mod it for power control (as I have done my CBR 1200). I already have the parts, cost me £6 (plus I bought a new proper mains voltage electrical crimper for £7). I will put the mod in the Wiki.

I think your pre-order problems might soon be solved anyway. I'm still proof reading this bloody pre-launch review document to send them on Monday, but so far 1 of the 4 pre-launch roasters has definitely had a deposit put on it, I think a second may also have gone. So there may be only 2 left. People have been phoning and putting deposits down. It's a bit annoying as I might as well not have bothered with this interim document.

Great review Dave, really detailed! As you know I'm not going to get this Roaster, but you make a good point that it is good practice for larger roasters. I keep this in mind as I hope my coffee roasting business grows as this may be an interesting next step. Keep up the good work!

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Well I hope anyone who wanted one of these at the £2800 launch price got one, just looked on the web site and they appear to have taken deposits ("sold") for all of them that were available already. I would guess that the next batch won't land until Mid May 2016 or a little later....

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They do look nice don't they. What's really good, is that they have managed a £2900 inc VAT pre-order price..with the pound crashing against the dollar, I wonder how long that will last...because they pay an agreed (last year) dollar price for the roaster.

I get the revised model tomorrow and will start work ensuring they have done what they said, test it, find the best controller settings, get some quick start stuff written so that the early adopters can pick up their roasters on Monday week and start using them. I'll need about a week to get it all done. I also want to make sure BB have a good check-list to test/examine all the roasters before they go out.

Quite looking forward to the weekend....

P.S. I actually thought the Bullet roaster would be delivered long before these...

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